After reading Peter Gillette’s column detailing the “schedule” of a typical student during reading period last fall, I did what any self-respecting Lawrence student would do: felt really guilty for a few minutes, and then proceeded to complete as little work as humanly possible for the rest of the weekend.However, I would like to issue a charge to my fellow Lawrentian regarding the upcoming midterm reading period: feel guilty no longer! Why, you ask?Because the Residence Life department and campus security have declared reading period an official vacation!
This might seem to directly conflict the brightly-colored memo you may receive in your mailbox from Dean Gajewski and the rest of the Academic Services department, but I assure you that it’s true.If we were supposed to stay on campus during reading period, do homework, and meet with our advisors as that memo would lead you to believe, why would they lock us out of the dorms?
LU res. halls are only locked 24 hours a day on two distinct occasions: during Celebrate or Octoberfest, or on official campus holidays such as Thanksgiving and Spring Break, the purpose being either to keep townies or students out, respectively.
Therefore, I propose to you that either we should consider reading period a time when the safety and security of student property is at risk from invading townies (in which case you should leave campus anyway), or we are entitled to view it as an official break during which we are supposed, even required, to leave campus.
As the latter option seems both more plausible and beneficial to me personally, I’m inclined to assume that “reading period” is merely a code word for “holiday during which any studying is absolutely forbidden by the command of Amy Uecke and Lawrence security.”
Until the front doors to all of the dorms on campus remain unlocked during reading period, I will treat these short few days in the way that Residence Life and campus security continue to endorse—as a much-needed vacation.Hey, I hear Northwest Airlines is having an airfare sale…